


The Moonlight and the Frost [PODFIC]

by Lockedinjohnlock



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Case Fic, English Accent, First Time, Fix-It, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Mary is a villain, Oral Sex, POV John Watson, Podfic, Podfic & Podficced Works, Post-His Last Vow, Rimming, Romance, Self-Harm, Sexual Identity, Shower Sex, Sound cloud, Virgin Sherlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-02 20:53:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5263205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lockedinjohnlock/pseuds/Lockedinjohnlock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And once again, you think you know what’s best for me.”</p><p>John rises from the chair, the anger and frustration and hurt overwhelming him, bursting out of every pore, and he doesn't even know for sure that it’s Sherlock he’s angry at, really, but the only reason he tied himself to Mary in the first place is because the person he really loved left him behind, and the woman he married once sat in the shadows above a darkened swimming pool and aimed a sniper rifle at his heart and later shot his best friend in cold blood and cuckolded him and just gave birth to a child that wasn't his and right now he just can’t do this, he just fucking can’t do this any more.</p><p>***</p><p>John has to somehow rebuild his life in the wake of Mary's betrayal and Sherlock's deceptions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaitlinFairchild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaitlinFairchild/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Moonlight and the Frost](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1998777) by [CaitlinFairchild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaitlinFairchild/pseuds/CaitlinFairchild). 



> Ok, so I'll just let you know before you get stuck into this beastie that it is a significantly large body of work presented in just 10 chapters. They are (after the first one) quite long chapters, ranging from 45 minutes to an hour with the final chapter promising to be nearer an hour and a half. (At the time of going to press, the recording is standing at 1 hour and 44 minutes but there's the editing still to go, so I'm 'guesstimating'). What I'm saying is, I appreciate that it'll be a commitment to get started on this one but I hope I'll make it worth your time.  
> Thank you to Caitlin for letting me 'have at' this one. I'm a sucker for a villainous Mary and a broken John; it's fascinating to see how Sherlock swings into his own brand of caring. Great stuff. Put your seatbelts on, you're in for a ride!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry, John,” Sherlock says quietly. “I truly am, but you saw tonight what she is capable of, and you are an unconvincing liar. If you had known for certain and she found out, she would have easily killed you without a moment’s hesitation. It was a huge risk involving you at all.” He looks down at the ground. “I am sorry for not being completely forthcoming, but I will never apologize for trying to keep you safe.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting alone on a park bench, his tea long since gone cold, John takes a deep breath and tries saying the truth out loud for the first time in his entire life.
> 
> “I’m bisexual,” he tells the pigeons looking up at him.
> 
> They seem remarkably unimpressed by his bravery.
> 
> The world continues to turn.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck, he really does not need an ASBO right now, but if he has to take that bastard down he’ll do it without regret. He tenses, mentally preparing for a fight.
> 
> “John!” Alan calls. “John, wait.”
> 
> John turns. “What do you want?” he snaps.
> 
> Alan shrugs. “Is it true?” he asks, and at least he has the decency to look ashamed while saying it.
> 
> John’s shakes his head in disbelief. “You followed me out here not to apologize for your arsehole friend, but to find out if I really do like cock.” he barks a hoarse, humourless laugh. “Jesus Christ, Al. Yes, okay? Yes. I like birds, but I also like blokes. Happy now?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “John,” Sherlock breathes, low and rough and full of desperate concern.
> 
> Out of nowhere, John suddenly remembers Magnussen’s smug, unctuous voice in his ear as he watched Sherlock drag him out of a lit bonfire.
> 
>  
> 
> Look how you care about John Watson.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I'm just going to start the washing up,” Sherlock says, not meeting his eyes.
> 
> John’s eyebrow quirks in amused disbelief; not once in five years has Sherlock done the washing up without threat of bodily harm.
> 
> He decides to be kind and not call Sherlock on his white lie.
> 
> “Come to bed soon, okay?” John says instead, and he doesn't mean for it to come out low and rough and a little needy but it does, and Sherlock’s eyes flick up to him for just a moment, pupils wide and dark in the lamplight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sherlock…” John says, pressing a reluctant hand to the centre of his chest, putting a sliver of space between their bodies. “Remember how last night you were concerned about me diving into your pants?”
> 
> “True,” Sherlock purrs. “But we never talked about me wanting to dive into yours, did we?”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve had McGinty’s body sent to Bart’s,” he begins. “Molly knows this is top priority, she started the autopsy immediately. I’ve also sent officers to the shelter to interview Rocco Napolitano and Timothy Atherton. Hopefully they’ll--”
> 
> “You turned them away,” hisses Sherlock, crowding close into Lestrade’s personal space. “People who knew him, cared about him. They knew something terrible had happened, they came to you asking for help, and you turned them away.”
> 
> “Sherlock,” John says, warningly. “Lestrade is not the entirety of New Scotland Yard. He had no idea--”
> 
> “Well, he should have!” Sherlock snaps. “He never learned of it, but he should have.”
> 
> “Sherlock, you can’t blame Lestrade for something he never even--’
> 
> “He’s right, John.” Lestrade looks at both of them, shoulders straight, gaze even. “I should have known. The fact that an obvious murder was ignored like this is reprehensible. And I am deeply sorry. Sherlock, I promise you I will do everything I can to make this right, and to try to keep it from ever happening again.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John ends the call and tries Sherlock’s phone again, hoping against all probability that he will pick up and proclaim John prone to hilarious overreaction.
> 
> As he knew it would, the call goes directly to voicemail yet again, making John curse and smack the doorframe in frightened frustration.
> 
> “I am going to find you,” John growls into the empty sitting room. “Just for the exquisite pleasure of strangling you myself.”
> 
> The skull says nothing in reply, but the hollow eye sockets seem to be watching him, the toothy grin smirking at the empty bluster John uses to hide his fear.
> 
> “Of course I’m not going to kill him,” John sighs, peering out the window, willing a long black car to come around the corner. “I’m just very pissed off right now. And scared, yeah. Scared to death, in fact.”
> 
> The skull remains silent, but his empty eyes seem to regard John with a softer, almost bemused understanding.
> 
> John wonders, briefly, when talking to imaginary companions became a routine part of his life.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What about--” he can’t bring himself to say the name, not when they’re like this. “Don’t you want to get to work? I understand, I don’t m--”
> 
> “No,” Sherlock murmurs, voice deep and rough as gravel. “What I want is you. Now.” His pale eyes lock with John’s just for a moment, and there’s hunger there, but also fear and a little sorrow and John feels it too, the unfairness of it all, the spectre of loss a shadow over the two of them yet again.
> 
> But this is how they can fight it, fight back against an enemy that threatens to tear them apart, an enemy they can’t yet see. They can be together. They can love each other, completely and without reservation, and stubbornly refuse to be parted from one another.
> 
> Right now, this is what they have. And it’s enough. It’s everything.
> 
> “You have me,” John murmurs, quiet and serious, wrapping his hands around Sherlock’s sheet-swathed waist. “All right? You’ll always have me.”
> 
> “Then shut up,” breathes Sherlock, “and kiss me.”

This is the playlist, which should play each chapter in order, without having to stop and start!

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Cover Art] for The Moonlight and the Frost](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5429390) by [IamJohnLocked4art (IamJohnLocked4life)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IamJohnLocked4life/pseuds/IamJohnLocked4art)




End file.
